Tomatoes are everywhere. Salads, juices, sauces, salsa, ketchup, guacamole, pico de gallo, just to name a few. Tomatoes are a great source of Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant carotenoid.

The recent outbreak of Salmonella has scared most of the country. The illness is related to consumption of raw red Roma, red plum, round red tomatoes and products containing these raw tomatoes. Since the FDA has issued a warning about tomatoes consumption, should you worry about it? Yes and No.

Take a quick look at most supermarkets and grocery stores and you will find out signs and warnings explaining the issue and the origin of their tomatoes. How about products containing raw tomatoes, such as fresh salsa or tomato sauce? Well, if you want to play safe, it wouldn’t hurt to stay away from any raw tomatoes just for a few weeks.

What is 100% safe is taking Lycopene as a supplement and the results can be impressive. Lycopene has the ability to promote cardiovascular and prostate health. It also supports healthy cholesterol levels and a strong digestive system. In addition, clinical studies have indicated that Lycopene can significantly improve overall immune system due to its potent antioxidants.

Lycopene provides so many benefits, and with so many questions in the air about tomatoes, you may want to consider start taking it on a regular basis. One fresh tomato provides an average of 3mg of Lycopene whereas some products offer 30 mg in one single tablet, so I’ll let you do the numbers.

Yes, it may not taste as good as a delicious fresh tomato, but you don’t have to eat 10 tomatoes to get the same health benefits.